SERMON FROM THE CAPITOL; 



(Ljjc |i!ipcris()ab(c ;inb f^abinj M'orbs of (thrift. 



DELIVEP.ED, 



IX T'T U\fT OF Tlir. iinrsr op REPRESENTATIVEn 



SABBATH MORNLXG, MARCH IS, 1860, 



>n)OKTON, CilAl'l.AlN, H. 11. 






TEXT: 



■ n e a r c n n n .1 Earth s h n 1 1 pass a w ny , but my words shall 
uot pass away." — Matt. 24: 35. 



\VASllIX*iTOX: 

PRINTKD BY LKMUBL TOWEHS, 

1860. 



> o 



CORRESPONDKNCK 



"House op Representativv:s, 

" Wasiiincton, March 19, ISilO. 
'■ Uev. T. ]I. Stockton, 

"DkauSiu: The uiuli-rsigneil Menibera of tlie House would resjioctfully r<^. 
([uest a copy of your salutiitory Sermon, delivered yestenla}- in the Hull of the 
House. We wish it for publication, thnt its influence may be widcdy extended 
b^' tlie circulation we shall give to it. If it comport witii your inclinations and 
convenience, a compliance with this request will greatly oblige 

" Your fiicnds. 



"S. S. COX, 
JNO. HICKMAN, 
K. JOY MOUKIS, 
Til OS. A. VS.. NKLSON, 
A. A. BUUNIIAM, 
JOHN McLEAN, 
JNO. A. ]5INGUAM, 

r.oBKKT Mcknight, 

JAS. 15. McKK.VN, 
E. 11. FUENCH, 
JOHN IIUTCUINS, 



O. W. PCU ANTON, 
W. HOWAUl), 
THOMAS JJ. FLOUENCE, 
JNO. O. DAVIS, 
JAS. C. ROBINSON, 
J. W. STEVENSON, 
liOGEU A. rUYOU. 
C. L. VALLANDIGIIAM, 
J. K. MOORHEAD, • 
C. 15. SEDGWICK, 
WM. PENNINGTON." 



Wa^iiingtox, March 22, ISGO. 
Gentlemen: 

Your request was us much a surjirise ns my election. Humbly trustinsr, how- 
ever, that there is a vindicating and progressive Providence in these incidents; 
and wishing, most devoutly, to be enabled to answer its purposes, I rcspectfullj' 
commit my discourse to your disposal. 

As you ajjpropriately intimate, it is a simple salutallon: prepared h.astilv, 
but not without prayer or care; designed to announce certain main principles, 
and connect them with suitable reminiscences and exhortations. If, in looking 
at the manuscript, (containing a few verbal corrections and additions of per- 
sonal names,) you .=till deem it likely to do good, I sliiill be grateful for the use 
you may make of it. 

With all respect, I remain, 

Your servant, for Christ's sake, 

T. II. STOCKTON. 

lion. Wm. Pennington, Speaker of the House of llejire.senta'ivcs. 
" John McLean, Judge of the Supreme Court. 
" S. S. Cox; Hon. Jno. Hickman; 
" E. Jov MoKEis; and other Members of the House. 



SERMON. 



'•Heaven iinJ Earth sliall pass away, but "^ • \v..r.^ -Imll not pn^;^ awuy."— 
JlATTHiirw, 24 : 35. 

Wc need elevation. As men, Americans and Christians, 
w'Q need elevation. In onr persons and families, states and 
chnrclics, we all need elevation. Properly speaking, it i.s im- 
possible to desire too great elevation. The woe of the world 
is the want of a true ambition. 

To prevent ns from taking nnjnst advantage of this truth, 
it is enough to remember the Gospel maxim : "J*o/' lohosocver 
exalteth himself shall he abased; and he that humUeth him- 
self shall he exalted.-'' This maxim both commends the object 
and directs the pursuit. 

And now — see ! One da_y, a young Galilean carpenter, fol- 
lowed by a few lake-shore iishermen, entered the Temple at 
Jerusalem, as a company of our countrymen, from any rural 
district, on any day, entei-s this Capitol. Soon after, as they 
left the Temple, some of the 3'oung man's friends invited his 
attention t" certain fine ornaments and massive stones, charac- 
teristic of the general and incomparable richness and strength 
of the buildings. But he replied to them: '•'■See ye not all 
iliese tilings I Yerilij I say iinto you., there shall not he left 
here one stone upon another., that shall not he thrown down.^'' 

What did they think of that? "What would we think of a 
rustic visitor, who sliould leave this Capitol, saying to his 
companions — and in a manner implying imminency of the 
event — not one stone of it shall be left upon another ! 

Strange as it may seem, that Galilean group had no little 
confidence in their leader; and, therefore, Avhen thej^ had 
come with him, out from the city, dowu the hill, over Ke- 
dron, and up Olivet, until they reached a suitabli.' jxisitiou for 



a wide reaurvey of the scene, no sooner was he seated than 
they drew near to him with the question : " Tell us when shall 
these things 'bef What then? Did he withdraw what he 
had said, or make light of it, or intimate any possibility of 
mistake? Not at all. Rather, he gave them a prolonged and 
speciiic answer ; in the course of which, ascending, with infi- 
nite ease, to an infinitely siiblimer assumption, he did not hesi- 
tate to declare : " Heaven and Earth shall iKiss away^ hut ony 
loonls shall not ^XC'SS away /" It is, as tliough he had said — 
There reposes the Holy City ; girt about with all the defences 
of art and nature ; and glittering all over with the concentrate 
wealth and power and pride of a great nation, during a long 
succession of royal and priestly ages. There expands, pre- 
eminently and most impressively, the peerless magnificence 
of the venerated and impregnable Temple. To you, it seems 
marvelous that I should predict the destruction of all. But, 
to me, that olden glory is only as the fading pageant of a 
summer sunset. Look away from the city, beyond and above 
it. Behold the mountains round about it ! Behold the firma- 
ment bending over it ! Nay, let your thought exceed your 
vision. Think of the fullness of heaven and earth : of conti- 
nents, islands and seas ; of sun, moon and stars ; of the divine 
origin, grandeur, perpetuity, and government of all. Think 
well of these things, and then remember — that my vroi'ds are 
mightier and more enduring than all. Not only shall Jerusa- 
lem pass away, but heaven and earth shall pass away ; and, 
yet, my feeblest word, the faintest sound of my voice, the 
gentlest breath from my lips, shall never pass away. 

Did they believe him ? Yes ; and with good reason. They 
witnessed, to a great extent, the power of his words, xittract- 
ed by those words, cities were emptied and deserts filled. x\t 
his word, the "common people," who "heard him gladly," 
grew wiser than the wisest of their teachers. At his word, 
the hierarchs of genius and learning, of law and religion, 
blushed and trembled, darkening with rage or paling with af- 
fright. At his word, his humble disciples were qualified and 
commissioned to supercede "the wisdom of the world," and 
become themselves the apostles of nations and instructors of 
numkind. At his word, every scene of his presence became 
a circle of divine enchantment : where deaf men listened, 



and duiiil) men spoke, iiiul liliml men lor>l-od, rtini lame 
moil leapi'd, ami llio [utnilytic btuod Btill, and tl»o leper was 
clean, and the maimed made wlnde, and tlie M'itliered restored, 
and the sick revived, and the lunatic calmed, and the demo- 
niac dispossessed, and the dead, just risen from their tomhs, 
exchanged new greetini^s with the pressing midtitudes of tlie 
living. True, their faith was sorely tried : chiefly, when their 
yontlifnl leader exjured on the cross. Ihit, he soon rose from 
the dead, ascended into heaven, and thence "gave gifra nnto 
men." Tlius, their faith was renewed and confirmed, forever. 
Then they repeated and recorded his words; conmiitting 
them, in trnst, to all nations and ages. In fulHllment of the 
prediction specially referred to, before that generation passed 
away the Temple was destroyed and Jornsalcm witli it : and 
the people were scattered and their institutions overthrown. 
The carcass of Judaism lay stretched along the hill-side, and 
from the whole cope of heaven the eagles of Rome hurried 
to the festival. Since tlien, the words of that young man 
have become tlie law of the world ; and miracles, correspond- 
ing with those of his transient ministr}-, have been multiplied 
on a larger scale and in more enduring relations. At his word, 
deaf nations have listened ; and dumb nations, spoke ; and 
blind nations, looked; and lame nations, leaped ; and para- 
lytic nations have been strengthened; and leprous nations, 
cleansed; and maimed nations, made whole; and withered 
nations, restored; and sick nations, revived; and lunatic na- 
tions, calmed; and demoniac nations, dispossessed; and dead 
nations, brought forth, exultant, from their graves. Even 
these miracles are "as notliing — less than nothing, and vani- 
ty," in comparison with others which are yet to come: mira- 
cles in behalf of all nations, and of our M'hole race, and of the 
M'orld itself. And still, Avith tlie same eas}', natural, infinite 
sublimity as at first, he assures us all : ^^Ileaven and Earth 
shcdl pam moa>jy hut m>j loords shall not jxiss awayy 

Kow, therefore, rises the all-important question : Tio we be- 
lieve him? We live more than eighteen hundred years after 
his advent. We live in a new world ; unknown to the old, in 
which he lived, until within less than four hundred years ago. 
A new soil is under our feet, and a new sky over our heads. 
We show, on a vast area, fn-f ;md nni'iiibari-.!--od. \\\o bc<t r.-- 



suits of a tiiuwofviirl aor-.ial revolutions. To us, the most of the 
old things of the old world iiavo passed away: old govern- 
ments, old mythologies, old philosophies, old sciences, old a^i-ts, 
and old manners, customs and usages. To us, nearly all things 
have hecome new. But, have the old words of that young 
Nazarene passed away from us? Or, has any new master su- 
perseded his authority over us ? Not in the slightest degree ! 
His authority is still supreme, and every syllable of his utter- 
ance as sure as ever. As it has been, and is, so it always shall 
be. With gratitude for our history, in vindication of our 
honor, and in acknowledgment of the true and only source of 
our power; in due remembrance of our fathers, with due re- 
spect for ourselves, and due regard for ou-r children, I here 
arise, on this highest height of the nation, as a representative, 
however humble, of our people at large, of every State in the 
Union, and of the United States in whole, and thus, with lifted 
hand, repeat our solemn, national affirmation — our official and 
perpetual proclamation to all mankind — that: Heaven and 
Earth shall pass away, but the woeds of otjr Lord and Sa- 
vior Jesds Christ shall not pass away! 

I contemplate the heaven and earth of the old world : the 
oveiTulings of Providence and changes of society there. I 
think of the passing away of the whole circle of ancient Medi- 
terranean civilization. I think of the dark ages of Europe. 
I think of the morning of the Eeformation, and the fore-gleam- 
ings of "the latter-day glory.'' I think of Art, and her print- 
ing-press ; of Commerce, and her compass; of Science, aud 
her globe ; of Eeligion, and her Bible. I contemplate the 
opening of the heaven aud earth of the new world : the over- 
rulings of Providence and changes of society here. I think 
of the passing away of savage simplicities, and of the rude 
semblances of civiHzation in Mexico and Peru, and of earlier 
and later declensions. I think of the gracious reservation of 
our own inheritance for present and nobler occupancy. I 
think of our Eevolution, and its result of Independence. I 
think of our first Union, first Congress, first prayer in Con- 
gress, and first Congressional order for the Bible : and of 
our wonderful enlargement, development and enrichment 
since. And, in view of all — of the whole heaven and v.'hole 
earth of the whole world; and of all changes, social and 



ii^itural, ])ast, ].i\'sont and futnro; profoundly and unaltora- 
l)ly assured, as I trust wo all are, that the truth as it is "in 
Jesus"' is tlie only stability in the universe — I feel justified 
in invokiuLT, this day, your renewal of our common and con- 
stant confessiou — that: Heaven ami earth shall i)ass away, 
l)ut the M'onis of Christ shall never i)ass away. And, stan«l- 
ins: where we do, on the central summit of this i^reat Con- 
federacy, uneq\ndled in all history for all manner of bless- 
ir.gs, if we did not so confess Christ ; if we did not cherish 
the simple confidence of his primitive disciples, and hail tlio 
coming of our Lord with hosannas; if we could ii^noljly hold 
our peace ; tiie very statues of the Capitol " would immediately 
cry out:" the marble lips of Columbus, Peun, and Washing- 
ton; of "War and Peace; of the Pioneer and of Freedom, 
would ])art to praise Ilis name: and the stones of the founda- 
tion and walls, of the arcades and corridors, of the rotunda 
and halls, would respond to their glad and grand acclaim. 

l)Ut, we do confess Him! From Maine to Florida, from 
Florida to Texas, from Texas to California, from California to 
Oregon, and from Oregon back to Maine; our lake States, 
gulf States, and ocean States, our river States, prairie States, 
and mi»untain States, all unite in confessing and blessing His 
name : beholding his glory, surrounding His throne, high and 
lifted up, and ever crying, like the six- winged seraphim, one 
to another, far and near, from the Xorth and the South, from 
the East and the West : " IMy^ holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, 
the lohole earth is full of his glory!''' 

But — where nre the words of Christ '( and — v)hat are they ? 
He did not write them ; but merely spoke them, and that 
during a brief ministry. Xevcrtheless, they were recorded: 
and not ojily such as were nttered in the llesh, but others with 
which the writers were inspired by His spirit, ])oth before and 
after His advent — the revelations of the proi)hets and apostles. 
All alike are His words: and, here they are— in the Uible! 
The Bil)le, from beginning to end, is the book of Chrisf. And, 
therefore, athrmi ug of the whole what is true of every ]>art, 
I hold up the 151 ble, and, in the name of Christ, })roelaini 
to the country and the world : Hkaven and kauth suall 

I'ASS AWAY, BLT — TUK BiBLE, TUE UOLV AM> IJLESSEU BlULE, 
SHALL NOT PASS AWAY ! 



10 

What, then, are the words of Christ ? or, as the Bible, thip 
whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, is the inspired and 
authoritative record of them — what is the iUhle? 

We hear much of the higher Law ; and the application of 
the phrase to civil affairs has excited great prejudice and 
given great oflence. Bat, what is the higher Law ? It is said 
to be something higher than the Constitution of the United 
States, Can there be a law, within these United States, higher 
than the Constitution of the United States? If there can be 
and is such a law — what is it? I need not and will not recite 
inferior, questionable, and inappropriate answers here. But, 
is there not one unquestionable answer? Suppose it be said, 
that, in relation to all subjects to which it was designed to 
apply, and properly does apply, the Bible is a higher Law 
than the Constitution of the United States? Will any man, 
unless an utter infidel, deny this ? Surely not. Waiving its 
practical operations, certainly, as an abstract propcsition, this 
must be admitted as true. It may be extended, so as to in- 
clude all our State constitutions, and all our Church consti- 
tutions, and all our more Social constitutions. Put them all 
together, magnify and boast of them as we may, not only is 
the Bible a higher law, but it is an infinitel}^ higher law. 
For thus saith the Lord : "^s the heavens are higher -than the 
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts 
than your thoughts.''^ Therefore5 also, the universal and per- 
petual prophetic challenge : " earth, earth, earth, hear the 
%oord of the Lord ! " 

If this be not true, my mission, at least, is an entire mistake, 
and my commission ends. But, it is true : and, if tliere were 
no other argument to prove it true this one M^ere all-sufficient. 
All human constitutions, social, ecclesiastical and civil, are 
changeable, and contain provisions for change : but — the Bible 
is uncliangeable. Instead of any provision for change, it is 
guarded, at all points, against change. The writer of its first 
five books declares in the last of the five : " Ye shall not add 
unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diaiinisit 
from it, that ye may heejj the commandments of the Lord your 
God, which L command youP And, in like manner, tiie 
author of its last five books, declares in tlie last of the five : 
"7/" any man shall add ^into these things, God ■^hall add unto 



11 

him i/ic jda'jut's thai are written in thi« hoolc: and if any man 
shall TAKK AWAY from the words of the hook of thin prophccij^ 
God iih<(/i take aicay hia part out of the hook <f life, and out 
of the holy city ^and from the things lohieh are written in this 
hooky And so Isuiali, stamlin^ midway between Moses and 
John, exclaims : " Lift itp your eyes to the hvaems, and lonk 
upon the earth hencath ; for the heavens shall vanish away like 
smoke, and the earth shall vhix old like a (jannmt, and thiy 
that da\ll therein shall die in like manner: hut my S(dvati<ni 
shall he forever, and my righteousness shall not he aholished.''^ 
Tlierei'oiv, it is (.nly in accoi-danco witli tlio testimony of all 
liis witnesses, that Christ liimself avers: '■' Tliink not that I 
am come to destroy the law, or tlte prophets : J am, not come to 
destroy, lut to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven 
and earth jjass, one jot or otic tittle shall in no tcise jtass from 
the law, till all hefulfUed^ And so again, in the text itself: 
'-'■ Heaven and earth shall pass away, hut my words shall not 
pass away.'' 

Thank God, for one book above amendment! '-'- Forever^ 
O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."" And here, in our 
place and day, we respond to the psalmist on Zion — Forever, 
O Lord, thy word is settled on earth. No man or set of men ; 
no king, priest or scribe ; no popidar convention, ecclesiasti- 
cal council, or national congress ; would dare to erase one 
letter from tlio record. ' Let our own countrymen, in particu- 
lar, treat other books as they think they have a right to do, 
or feel it their duty, or make it their interest or pleasure to • 
do; by amendment, abridgement, or enlargement, by inter])o- 
lation or expurgation ; not one among them, North, South, 
East or AVest, would presume to tench, with any such purpose, 
the sacred ark containing the higher Law of God. Here is 
our shrine of worship, the oracle of our wisdom, and the glory 
of our power. 

13ut, a higher Law implies a higher Judge, and a Iiigher 
Administrator. And who is the liigher Judged The Holy 
Siuurrl the Sj-irit of truth, promised unto us to guide us into 
all truth ; making us spiritual and giving us sjjiritual ap]ire- 
hensions; aiding us in the comparison of spiritual things with 
spiritual; searching the deep things of God, as contained in 
the ImI ^^ .mimI nvfuling them unto us. And who is the 



12 

higher Administrator? Christ himself! into whose hands 
the Father has committed all power " in heaven and in earth," 
to qnalify Ilim fully for the duties of this sovereign office. 
Does any one object to the higher Administrator? Does any 
one object to the higlier Judge? Then, why object to the 
higher Law? They go together, are all divine, and all su- 
preme for ever. So that we may say with the prophet : " The 
Lord is our judge, the Lord is our law-giver, the Lord is our 
Mng • he will save us.'''' 

" lie will save us ! " Blessed conclusion : without which 
all else were in vain, and worse than in vain. He deigns to 
become onr judge, law-giver and king only that He may save 
lis; and, if we do not thwart Him by our iniquities, lecause 
He is our judge, law-giver and king He will save us. 

Tell me. Oh tell me, what is it we need? Do we need 
health, or genius, or learning, or eloquence, or pleasure, or 
fame, or power? Do we need wealth, or rank, or office? 
Does any one of us need to be chaplain, or clerk, or represent- 
ative, or senator, or speaker, or vice-president? an officer of 
the army or navy? a member or head of any department? a 
foreif^n minister? a cabinet officer? or even a successor in the 
line of presidents of the United States? Is such our need? 
Ah, no ! we need, salvation. 

What did I say in the beginning ? Did I not say? we need 
elevation : as men, Americans and Christians, we need eleva- 
tion : in our persons and families, states and churches, we 
^eed elevation. Certainly I did thus speak, and meant all I 
said. 

Oh, my Friends! All the distinctions alluded to, such as 
we know them here, are comparatively little things. Greater 
things are in prospect ; but these things, though they seem 
great, are really little. Pause, think, recall what life has 
taught you— wliat observation and experience have combined 
to impress most deeply upon your consciousness — and begin 
your review with the sad words, after all ! After all, health 
is a little thing, and genius is a little thing, and learning, and 
eloquence, and pleasure, and fame, and power, and wealth, 
and rank, and office, all earthly things are little things. How 
little satisfaction they yield while they last, and how soon 
they pass away I 



1-5 

Ask tho most successful anniml 3-. mi, in tliese rohitlons, it' 
they have yet suitiilii-d their hi<,'host need? As tho general 
rule, the more successful they have been tlie older y<m will 
find them. They have not attained their coveted jtosts of 
honor by a sin^^do leap. Tliey have risen ornulually, thmngh 
years of earnest toil. And the soberness of reflection is now 
about them. And tho anticipation of a hasfenini; end is with 
them. Ask them, and they will answer: After all, wo have 
spent our lives in little thin<;s. We yet need true elevation. 

I would tell ymi more particularly, of whom to in(piire — 
were it not that you would prove it in vain to seek them. 
Twenty-six years ago, at tho age of twenty-five, I was first 
called to this office. Two years afterward, I served again. I 
now compare, though briefly and imperfectly, the present 
with the past, 1 find a new Hall and a new Henate-Cham- 
ber: but the old Hall and old Senate-Chamber are still here. 
I find also a new House and a new Senate : but where are 
the old House and old Senate? How many reminiscences 
crowd upon mc ! — forms, and faces, and voices, and gestures, 
and elaborate speeches, and casual debates, and social re- 
marks, and current incidents : all impressed on youthful sen- 
sibilities, and not yet effaced. But, I cannot describe them. 
"Where are Jarvis, of Maine ; and Cushman and HriiUAKD, of 
New Hampshire? Where are Adams, Calhoun, and Choate ; 
Davis, Jackson and Lawrence ; Lincoln, Phillii'S, and Heed, 
of Massachusetts? Where are Ellswortu, Huntington, and 
JuDSON, of Connecticut? Where Bukgks and Peaece, of 
Rhode Island ? Where, Allen, Evereit, and Slade, of "Ver- 
mont? Where, Bokee, Ciiilds, and Cramer; (tran(;er and 
Lansing ; Lee, Moore, and Wardwell, of New Yoik i AVhere 
is Parker, of New Jersey ? Wliere are Beau?i[ont, Chambers, 
and Denny; Hduley, McKennan, and Mann; Miller, Mrii- 
lenberg, and Watmougii, of Pennsylvania ? Where is Milli- 
OAN, of Delaware? Where are Dennis, Heath, and Jenuer ; 
McKiM and Speele ; Stoddert and Washington, of Maryland i 
Where, Bouldin, Coles, and Deomgoole ; Jones, !Mason, and 
Mercer; Patiun, Stevenson, and Taliaferro, of Virginia'^ 
Where, Conner, DEiniRRv, and INIcKa^' ; Shepparp, Speioht, 
and Williams, of North Carolina ? Where are Blair, Camp- 
bell, and Davis ; Griffin, McDuffie, and Pinckney, of South 



u 

Ciiroliiia ? Where, Gla.scock, Grantland and IIaynes ; IIol- 
SEY and VViLDK, of Georgia? Where are White, of Florida? 
and Lewis and Muki'iiy, of Alabama? Where are Bullaed, 
Garland, and Ripley, of Louisiana ? Where is Sevier, of 
Arkansas? Where are Carter, Crockett, andDuNLAp; For- 
rester and Huntsman ; Polk, Pope, and Standefer, of Ten- 
nessee? AYliere, Allen, Boyd, and French; Graves, Hardin, 
andilAWEs; Johnson, Lyon, and Williams, of Kentucky? 
Where is Ashley, of Missouri ? Where are Duncan and May, 
of Illinois? AYhere, Boon, Davis, and Hannegan; Kinnard, 
Lane, and McCarthy, of Indiana? And where are IIamer, 
Lytle, and Sloane; Spangler, Thompson, and Vance, of Ohio? 
All these, if mj quest has been rightly answered, have passed 
away, not only from this House, but, from the world : and, 
doubtless, many of their colleagues, if not already gone, are 
just about to follow. At least, they are not here. Scarcely 
a relic is left ! And so, of tlie Senate. Where are Clayton 
and CuTHBERT ; Goldseoeough, Hill, and Hendricks ; Kent, 
King, and Knight ; Moore and Porter ; Southard and 
Sprague ; Tipton, Tomlinson, and Yv'all ? Where, the ven- 
erable White, and the good-natured Grundy, and the sharp 
PoiNDEXTER, and the learned PtonBiNS, and the handsome Linn, 
and the graceful Forsyth, and the sagacious Weight, and the 
indomitable Benton, and the gentle-tongued Leigh ? Where 
is the easy, all-elate, sonorous, and majestic eloquence of Clay ? 
Where, the calm, cool, clear, and massive maguiticence of 
Webster? Where, the affable dignity, the intellectual and 
moral loftiness of Calhoun ? Passed away — all passed away ! 
Or, will you leave the Halls of Congress? Do you think of 
the Army ? Where, then, are Macomb and Gaines ?— of the 
Navy ? Where, then, are Rodgers and Barron ? Will you 
enter the Supreme Court ? Where is Marshall — ^Chief of 
the Judges? and where is Wirt — Chief of the Attorneys? 
Or, will you at last repair to the Presidential mansion? 
Where, tlien is Jackson? Chief of the Heroes. Passed 
away — all passed away ! How many of their companions, 
how many of their successors, have also passed away, I have 
neither time nor knowledge to declare. It is but a little while 
and a limited area of which I speak, and yet — what a scene 
of honored dust, in sacred silence, alone remains! 



I'' 

U, it' I cuiiM direct you to tliom, aiul yon could find tlieni, 

and should ask tlieni — after all, what is human need i Would 

they not say, it is elevation, it is salvation — salvation by hu- 

. niiliation, in accordance with the life, ami death, and triunijdi 

of the meek and lowly Nazareno i 

Hearken to mo, this day, men, brethren, and fathers! 
Christianity is the most |)raetical thin<x, the most immedi- 
ately and substantially important thin«^ in the univei-se. Vis- 
ionary! Fanciful! Impractical! The occupation of dreamers, 
enthusiasts, and fanatics! Aha! Did I n(jt tell you that we 
need elevation i How can any, how dare any })rate thus of 
our laith i 

Hearken to the truth! If wo need heallli, it is ])erfect 
health, and that forever I If we need f]jenius, it is perfect ge- 
nius, and that forever! If we need learning, it is i)erfect 
learning, and that forever ! If we need eloquence, or pleasure, 
or fame, or power, or wealth, or rank, or otHce — whatever Ave 
need, it implies constitutional and conditional perfection, and 
that forever! 

Let me speak for you, one voice for humanity. I need a 
perfect soul. I need a perfect body, to contain, identity, and 
obey my soul. I need a perfect home. I need a perfect so- 
ciety. I need perfect employments. I need a perfect govern- 
ment. I need the fulness of eternal life, with God, in heaven. 
I need the attainment of my true destiny, to stand, as a per- 
fect man, before the perfect God, acknowledged as His child, 
His image, and His heir. 

The Son of God knew this need, and, therefore, became 
the Son of Man, that he might supply it. Therefore, ke aj)- 
peared as the young Galilean carpenter, despised and rejected 
of men, but loved and accepted of the Father, making peace 
by the blood of the cross. Therefore, already overlooking 
the place of His crucilixion, He nttered the memorable pre- 
diction : '' Heaven and J^arth shall pass aioay^ hut my words 
sliall not i>(i>is avoayP His words are words of pardon, words 
of purity, words of triumph over death, words pertaining to 
the resurrection of the dead and the inheritance of life ever- 
lasting. Did the stones of the Tem^jle understand Him? 
Did the palaces of Jerusalem catch His meaning? Did the 
mountains around the city, and the sky above it, startle at 



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16 

the sound ? Did lieaven and earth, any wh 
show the slightest consciousness of His utterance 
all senseless, utterly senseless, these are the things that pass 
away. But, something was there, nobler than all these — 
something destined to outlast all these, to flourish only the 
more, and still inore forever, when heaven and earth, shall 
vanish like the dream of a night. I mean the immortal 
soul ! Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the Saviour and 
Sovereign of the world, committed His words of redeeming 
and sanctifying truth to the immortal soul of man, and, there- 
fore, in form, as well as in essence and authority, they remain 
imperishable. ' 

And so, my friends, in conclusion, I this day commit these 
words to your immortal souls, that, by God's blessiiig, they 
may abide with you in saving virtue forever. Only four 
months ago, by these same fingers, the eyes of my dear little 
Jessie were closed in death. That was a more important 
event to me than the rise, progress, and fall of a thousand 
empires. Pity me. Oh pity me ; I speak not for myself alone, 
but for all humanity, one voice for humanity. Think of your 
own homes, of those you love, and have loved, and loved only 
the more in death. We are all alike in these relations. And 
where is our hope of reunion with the lost? Ah, never 
would the Lord Jesus have uttered the words of the text had 
lie contemplated merely a series of social changes. But He 
knew and sought our true interest. He fulfilled His humble 
miniatry, and suflered and died that He might secure for us 
entire and eternal personal redemption — an elevation above 
all earthly things, and the enjoyment of the fullness of His 
grace and glory in heaven. Let us cherish his spirit and im- 
itate His example. Let us take due advantage of His media- 
tion, and humble ourselves before God in all penitence and 
laith, that, in due time, we, with Him, may be truly and for- 
ever exalted.* 



* This Inst paragraph is an efF(ji't to recover the substance, at least, of a purely 
extempore close, a half-restrained yielding to natural impulses iu hope of spirit- 
ual profit. 



